Michael Chiang



Singapore Infopedia

by Nureza Ahmad

Michael Chiang (b. 1955, Malaysia–) is a prolific playwright who has received accolades for his contributions to the arts in Singapore. Mostly loved for his comedies and musicals, such as Army Daze and Beauty World, his works have been runaway successes at home and abroad. Beauty World, which was so popular that it toured Japan in 1992, was adapted into a television production in 1998 to raise funds for the fourth President’s Star Charity event.

Early life
The youngest of five siblings, Chiang came to Singapore at the age of 11 and attended the Anglo-Chinese School. As a child, he enjoyed watching movies, particularly the Hong Kong classics of the 1960s.1 During his secondary school years, he joined the literary society, and helped out in the backstage during theatre performances. He enjoyed the production of plays so much that he preferred to work backstage, rather than perform on stage.2


Career
When Chiang started as a playwright, he had to juggle it with his day job which included being a journalist and the chief executive officer of Caldecott Publishing.3 Mild-mannered and soft-spoken, Chiang has been hailed as “Comedy King of Singapore”,4 “Singapore’s most successful playwright”,5 and “Singapore’s most bankable playwright”.6   

Chiang stumbled into comedy writing quite by accident in 1984. That year, producers of Bumboat, a 1984 stage production showcasing home-grown plays, needed a light piece of theatre. Chiang then penned Beauty Box, a 25-minute spoof on beauty pageants. From then on, he began writing commissioned plays and musicals. He found time in the evenings to write scripts after office hours. Deadlines, whether for plays or new issues of his magazines, were part of his life.7

The commercial success of Chiang’s plays has been attributed to several factors. Behind the witty one-liners and jokes, the situations, issues and stereotypes addressed in his plays come from astute observations of life in Singapore.8 This emerges through themes such as shopping and competitiveness in Beauty Box;9 the fear of singlehood in Love and Belachan;10 the focus on national service in Army Daze;11 Cantonese melodrama and nostalgia in Beauty World;12 subtle “programming” of a conformist society in Mixed Signals; exploration of the plight of transsexuals in Private Parts;13 the role of art in My Art Belongs to Me;14 censorship issues in Singapore in Mortal Sins;15 and the plight of the Malaysian immigrant in search of his identity in My Lonely Tarts.16  As evidenced by the large crowds that turn up for each of his new plays, many welcome Chiang’s ability to draw on popular culture.17

After My Lonely Tarts, Chiang stopped writing plays to concentrate on his publishing career –  he was helming over 20 magazines at one point.18 After a long hiatus, his new play, High Class, directed by Beatrice Chia-Richmond, opened in July 2013. This is a comedy about tai-tai (wealthy married woman), and explores if women still wish to be a tai-tai in modern Singapore.19 In 2014, Chiang released the anthology Play Things: The Complete Works, 1984–2014, and launched The A List, a fortnightly arts and culture guide commissioned by the National Arts Council.

Chiang wrote the screenplay for Our Sister Mambo, a drama-comedy film which was released in July 2015 to mark Cathay Organisation’s 80th anniversary.20 Chiang’s play, Mixed Signals, was also retold as part of a television series that premiered in late 2019.21

Army Daze and Beauty World
Army Daze (1987) is a comedy about five army recruits undergoing mandatory national service in Singapore.22 First written as a novel in 1984, it was then reworked into a play in 1985.23 Staged in 1987, it delighted audiences with its mixed bag of army recruits speaking Singlish. It went on to become a movie, produced by Cathay Organisation in 1996. Cathay Organisation had chosen to produce Army Daze as its first movie upon returning to the filmmaking business after an absence of 20 years.24 Army Daze became a box-office hit for a locally produced movie, grossing S$1.6 million in ticket sales after a 42-day run in 1996.25

Beauty World, which was first staged by TheatreWorks in 1988, is Singapore’s first major original home-grown musical. It tells the story of a small-town Malaysian hairdresser who moves to Singapore to look for her father. Beauty World is a story of loveable misfits and lost souls searching for their identity. It was helmed by Chiang himself, composer Dick Lee, choreographer Najip Ali, and director Ong Keng Sen.26

The musical had a second run in 1992. Thereafter, it toured four Japanese cities – Osaka, Tokyo, Hiroshima and Fukuoka – in September 1992.27 In 1998, it was reproduced as a television musical production for the fourth President’s Star Charity, an event that managed to raise a total of S$2 million.28

Works (first performances) 
Jun 1984: Beauty Box
Sep 1985: Love & Belachan
Jun 1987: Army Daze
Jun 1988: Beauty World
Jun 1989: Mixed Signals
Jun 1992: Private Parts
Oct 1995: My Art Belongs to Me
Nov 1995: Mortal Sins
Dec 1999: My Lonely Tarts
Jul 2013: High Class



Author

Nureza Ahmad



References
1. Corrie Tan, “Michael Chiang Knows What Tickles the S’porean Funnybone,” Straits Times, 17 July 2013.
2.  “Michael Chiang,” The Esplanade, accessed 23 October 2019.
3. David Chew, “The Accidental Playwright,” Today, 27 July 2004, 28. (From NewspaperSG)
4. Hannah Pandian, “Parts against Their Nature,” Straits Times, 27 June 1992, 11. (From NewspaperSG)
5. Susan Tsang, “Seriously, It’s Time to Sober Up,” Business Times, 1 November 1995, 15. (From NewspaperSG)
6. Clarissa Oon, “Play On,” Straits Times, 3 December 1999, 2. (From NewspaperSG)
7. Mayo Martin, “We RAT on Michael Chiang,” Today, 29 September 2014.
8. Hannah Pandian, “Let’s Get Serious,” Straits Times, 14 May 1992, 8. (From NewspaperSG)
9. Helen Chia, “Don’t Look at Me, I’m Just the Playwright,” Straits Times, 18 August 1989, 1. (From NewspaperSG)
10. Caroline Ngui, “Hot Stuff at the Dinner Table,” Straits Times, 3 September 1985, 11. (From NewspaperSG)
11. Michael Lim, “‘An Initiation, a Stepping Stone and a Pain in the…’,” Straits Times, 14 December 1985, 2. (From NewspaperSG)
12. Chia, “Don’t Look at Me, I’m Just the Playwright.”
13. Susan Tsang, “A Play That’s Found Wanting in Parts,” Business Times, 6 July 1992, 13. (From NewspaperSG)
14. Elisabeth Gwee, “Tongue-in-Cheek-One-Man Play on People of the Art World,” Straits Times, 20 October 1995, 12. (From NewspaperSG)
15. Koh Boon Pin, “Brave New Work Seeks to Touch Deeper Nerve in S’porean Psyche,” Straits Times, 8 November 1995, 7. (From NewspaperSG)
16. Clarissa Oon, “Give the Tarts a Bit More Bite,” Straits Times, 6 December 1999, 12. (From NewspaperSG)
17. Deborah Heng, “Playing Private Parts again,” Straits Times, 23 April 1994, 25. (From NewspaperSG)
18. Martin, “We RAT on Michael Chiang.”
19. Mayo Martin, “Michael Chiang Goes from Army Daze to Tai-Tai Craze,” Today, 7 May 2013.
20. The Esplanade, “Michael Chiang”; John Lui, “Local Film Our Sister Mambo to Mark Cathay's 80th Anniversary,” Straits Times, 12 June 2015, 26. (From NewspaperSG)
21. “What’s Dating in Singapore Like in the Digital Age? Find Out in a New TV Comedy,” Channel NewsAsia Lifestyle, 24 October 2019; Infocomm Media Development Authority, “Singapore Media Festival 2019 Kicks Off with Local Premiere of Anthony Chen’s Wet Season,” media release, 21 November 2019.
22. Lim, “‘An Initiation.” 
23. “Cathay Returns to Film-Making with Army Daze,” Straits Times, 23 February 1996, 2. (From NewspaperSG)
24. Jaime Ee, “Cathay to Make Movies Again, after 20 Years,” Business Times, 23 February 1996, 9. (From NewspaperSG)
25. Sandi Tan, “Home-Grown Army Comedy on Target,” Straits Times, 27 November 1996, 4. (From NewspaperSG)
26. Robert Yeo, “Something to Celebrate --- A Landmark Musical,” Straits Times, 3 July 1988, 10. (From NewspaperSG)
27. “Beauty World, Tang Da Wu to Perform in Japan Festival,” Straits Times, 14 July 1992, 19. (From NewspaperSG)
28. Chin Soo Fang, “Beauty World Returns for Presidents Star Charity,” Straits Times, 6 February 1998, 28. (From NewspaperSG)



Further resources
Michael Chiang, Private Parts and Other Play Things: A Collection of Popular Singapore Comedies (Singapore: Landmark Books, 1994). (Call no. RSING S822 CHI)

Michael Chiang, Play Things: The Complete Works, 1984–2014 (Singapore: Really Good Books, 2014). (Call no. RSING S822 CHI)




1. Tan, C. (2013, July 17). Michael Chiang knows what tickles the S’porean funnybone. Retrieved 2019, December 9 from AsiaOne website: https://www.asiaone.com/node/27026

2.  Michael Chiang. (2016, October 12). Retrieved on 2019, October 23 from The Esplanade website: https://www.esplanade.com/offstage/arts/michael-chiang
3. Chew, D. (2004, July 27). The accidental playwrightToday, p. 28. Retrieved from NewspaperSG.
4. Pandian, H. (1992, June 27). Parts against their natureThe Straits Times, p. 11. Retrieved from NewspaperSG.
5. Tsang, S. (1995, November 1). Seriously, it’s time to sober upThe Business Times, p. 15. Retrieved from NewspaperSG.
6. Oon, C. (1999, December 3). Play onThe Straits Times, p. 2. Retrieved from NewspaperSG.
7. Martin, M. (2014, September 29). We RAT on Michael Chiang. Retrieved 2019, December 9 from Today website: https://www.todayonline.com/blogs/forartssake/we-rat-michael-chiang
8. Pandian, H. (1992, May 14). Let’s get seriousThe Straits Times, p. 8. Retrieved from NewspaperSG.
9. Chia, H. (1989, August 18). Don’t look at me, I’m just the playwrightThe Straits Times, p. 1. Retrieved from NewspaperSG.
10. Ngui, C. (1985, September 3). Hot stuff at the dinner tableThe Straits Times, p. 11. Retrieved from NewspaperSG.
11. Lim, M. (1985, December 14). ‘An initiation, a stepping stone and a pain in the…’The Straits Times, p. 2. Retrieved from NewspaperSG.
12. Chia, H. (1989, August 18). Don’t look at me, I’m just the playwrightThe Straits Times, p. 1. Retrieved from NewspaperSG.
13. Tsang, S. (1992, July 6). A play that’s found wanting in PartsThe Business Times, p. 13. Retrieved from NewspaperSG.
14. Gwee, E. (1995, October 20). Tongue-in-cheek-one-man play on people of the art worldThe Straits Times, p. 12. Retrieved from NewspaperSG.
15. Koh, B. P. (1995, November 8). Brave new work seeks to touch deeper nerve in S’porean psycheThe Straits Times, p. 7. Retrieved from NewspaperSG.
16. Oon, C. (1999, December 6). Give the tarts a bit more biteThe Straits Times, p. 12. Retrieved from NewspaperSG.
17. Heng, H. (1994, April 23). Playing Private Parts againThe Straits Times, p. 25. Retrieved from NewspaperSG.
18. Martin, M. (2014, September 29). We RAT on Michael Chiang. Today. Retrieved 2019, December 9 from TODAY website: https://www.todayonline.com/blogs/forartssake/we-rat-michael-chiang
19. Martin, M. (2013, May 7). Michael Chiang goes from Army Daze to tai-tai craze. Today. Retrieved 2019, December 9 from TODAY website:  https://www.todayonline.com/blogs/forartssake/michael-chiang-goes-army-daze-tai-tai-craze
20. Michael Chiang. (2016, October 12). Retrieved on 2019, October 23 from The Esplanade website: https://www.esplanade.com/offstage/arts/michael-chiang; Lui, J. (2015, June 12). Local film Our Sister Mambo to mark Cathay's 80th anniversary. The Straits Times. Retrieved from NewspaperSG.
21. What’s dating in Singapore like in the digital age? Find out in a new TV comedy. (2019, October 24). Channel NewsAsia Lifestyle. Retrieved from Channel NewsAsia website: https://cnalifestyle.channelnewsasia.com/trending/michael-chiang-mixed-signals-series-12031030; Infocomm Media Development Authority. (2019, November 21). Singapore Media Festival 2019 kicks off with local premiere of Anthony Chen’s Wet Season. [Media release]. Retrieved from Gov.sg website: https://www.gov.sg/resources/sgpc/media_releases/imda/press_release/P-20191121-1  
22. Lim, M. (1985, December 14). ‘An initiation, a stepping stone and a pain in the…’The Straits Times, p. 2. Retrieved from NewspaperSG.
23. Holmberg, J. (1996, February 23). Cathay returns to film-making with Army DazeThe Straits Times, p. 2. Retrieved from NewspaperSG.
24. Ee, J. (1996, February 23). Cathay to make movies again, after 20 yearsThe Business Times, p. 9. Retrieved from NewspaperSG.
25. Tan, S. (1996, November 27). Home-grown army comedy on targetThe Straits Times, p. 4. Retrieved from NewspaperSG.
26. Yeo, R. (1988, July 3). Something to celebrate --- a landmark musicalThe Straits Times, p. 10. Retrieved from NewspaperSG. 
27. Beauty World, Tang Da Wu to perform in Japan festival. (1992, July 14). The Straits Times, p. 19. Retrieved from NewspaperSG.
28. Chin, S. F. (1998, February 6). Beauty World returns for Presidents Star CharityThe Straits Times, p. 28. Retrieved from NewspaperSG.



Further resources
Chiang, M. (1994). Private parts and other play things: A collection of popular Singapore comedies. Singapore: Landmark Books.

(Call no.: RSING S822 CHI)

Chiang, M. (2014). Play Things: The Complete Works, 1984–2014. Singapore: Really Good Books.
(Call no.: RSING S822 CHI)



The information in this article is valid as at December 2019 and correct as far as we are able to ascertain from our sources. It is not intended to be an exhaustive or complete history of the subject. Please contact the Library for further reading materials on the topic.


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